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^ AN 

ORATION 

COMMEMORATIVE OF THE CHARACTER 

OF 

MRS. MARY WASHINGTON, 

BY HENRY H. TATOR, ESQ. - 



AN 



ORATION 

COMMEMORATIVE OF THE CHARACTER 



OF 



MRS. MARY WASHINGTON, 



BY HENRY H. TATOR, ESQ. 



VERITAS NIHIL VERETUR NISI ABSCONDI. — jBacOM. 



(ITopnrigljt Securcb. 



ALBANY : 

JOEL MUNSELL, 58 STATE STREET. 

1851. 



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DEDICATORY EPISTLE. 



Charming indeed, is the task, of contemplat- 
ing a consistently moral, and wise Mother's cha- 
racter; it is like viewing at a distance, a goddess 
of love, through glasses framed with gold . To be- 
hold the full-lighted- moon, sinking gently into 
the broad stretched arms of a blue horizon, is 
beautiful ; but to gaze upon a venerable matron, 
mantled with mind and virtue, leaving behind 
her a family of Biblical lights, and prayerfully 
resigning herself to a terrorless tomb, is the 
most beautiful sight on earth. If Seraphs look 
hither and smile upon the dutiful deeds of mag- 
nificent man ; surely the Everlasting himself, 
looks fondly down, upon the more than angelic 
acts of worthy woman, and smiles again the 
smile, which ages of ages ago illumed creation 
inimitably, This rocky Globe, may be dissolv- 
ed into a gasseous mist; yet woman's nature 
shall never wear away. Yon orb's bright streams, 
may be shut off this instant; yet woman's 
brighter name, shall blaze on forever. This 
ray of gratitude, to the Mother of Washington, 
I dedicate, 

To my Adorable Mother, 
MRS. MARY TATOR. 



ORATION. 



Friends of Freedom : 

Observing the gross origin, rash growth, and 
Lucifer-like fall, of evil Empires, is eventful; 
observing the cooling cloud, enshrouding the 
pure and silent Heavens like a pall, emitting 
fierce flames of electricity, and then dashing 
upon the earth, like the driven waves upon a 
shore, is also eventful ; observing an avengful 
army, bearing with it, death's bloody deluge, 
slaughtering millions of men, both by earth and 
ocean, is extremely eventful ; but all these 
events, and all like events, are immemorable, 
when contrasted with those of a majestic 
mindedmother, deluging crime, with count- 
less duties ; rearing an Empire of virtue, upon 
the ignoble ruins of vicious Empires ; shower- 
ing the world, with the solace of wisdom, and 
delighting it, with the fiery-fluids of excel- 
lence ; the watchful sentinel, of a worthy sex; 
the living festival, of loving friends ; her parent's, 
terrestrial prize; her husband's, celestial honor; 
her daughters, wreath of wreaths of delight; 
her sons, goodly guiding star ; and the world's 
mightiest monument of worth ; with its base, 
globe broad; its towering summit, gilded by 
God's shining throne; its structure graceful and 
beautiful as a sacred mother's form ; its mate- 
rials, pure as her maternal philosophy ; and 
substantial as the exhaustless energies of her 



soul; this is a benefactress; and this was Mrs. 
Mary Washington. Mrs. Washington lived an 
obscure Christain, discharging the duties of her 
matronship, until her beloved son George, be- 
came the nation's leading son; when heros 
spiritually bowed before her in homage ; sages, 
regarded her as their saint; and saints, as their 
sovereign. Obscurity like renown, has its bless- 
ings; it comforts itself, with the pious plenty of 
content; wrapts itself, in the beauteous drapery 
of daily worthiness; constructs its simple robe, 
of sacred conduct; sings God's glory, by its 
own bright fireside; rises up, to do all the little 
duties of life, within its eye's range; lies down, 
with all its duties done, to bless its life ; yet a 
noble renown, is far more blissful than obscuri- 
ty. Mrs. Washington's practical sense, was the 
seat of her mental power, senseless trifling was 
aphelion to her nature; her sound judgment 
judged safely upon all subjects, to the extent of 
her knowledge; and her knowledge upon all 
practical subjects, pertaining to the duties of a 
true Mother, was extensive. Good judgment 
in both sexes, is attainable, and when attained 
adds to their joy; disipline judgment by col- 
lecting facts, and therefrom forming correct de- 
cisions ; permit no fact in your memory, or 
habit in your life, to escape the analyzing cru- 
cible of your judgment's power ; woman's judg- 
ment, like her goodness, should cope with 
man's and her decisions concerning his habits, 
like her devoted ness to his heart, should receive 
his assent and obedience. Mrs. Washington's 
matronly dignity of manner, was almost divine; 
and she commanded universal respect, by uni- 
versally respecting her commands. Dignity of 
mind and bearing, is the axis of divinity ; shows 
us, that our mortal destiny, is independence of 



mind; defends its right position, or perishes like 
a humane hero, in its rightful defence ; com- 
mands the army of its own thoughts, and its 
thoughts are like an aroused army, to effect a 
world's reforming conquest; awes mankind to 
gospelinian duty, like an archangel standing 
upon a saint's monument; a graceful dignity, is 
woman's peculiar gift. Surely the dignity of a 
realm's empress, engaged in her pictured draw- 
ing room, or promenading her mirrored par- 
lors, is imposing ; but far more imposing is it, 
to behold a happy mother, Empress only of a 
happy family, engaged in supplying their pre- 
cious wants, with providential economy ; and 
educating their spirits, until they become im- 
mortal mirrors, which shall reflect in full a 
mother's blessed image. The present age, car- 
ries with it a womanly force beyond, and 
Heaven-high above, that of any previous age ; 
it is unquestionably woman's age, (at least its 
dawn,) or an age, in which women, rise in men- 
tal and moral rebellion, like a band of saints, 
against a band of Satans; bursting the tyranni- 
cal rules, with which man, in times past, has 
tacticly enchained her. Each sex, should know 
its own duties, fetter than the other ; and each 
sex, by framing its own schemes of self-en- 
obling, suited to the nature of each, will most 
rapidly advance, the natural interests of both. 
The sexes should continually counsel with each 
other, while laboring for the perfecting of all ; 
and should be to each other like true scales, 
which can not deal out the distilled poisons of 
injustice to others, because of dealing out 
bounteous and continual justice, to themselves. 
Each sex, must fully appreciate, and duly re- 
spect the other, before they can be truly benefit- 
ed, by their joint enterprises. As the interests of 



8 

no two individuals should clash with each 
other; so there should be no clashing between 
the interests of the sexes. Dark would be this 
terrestrial being, were yonder chandlerian firma- 
ment extinguished ; darker still would it seem, 
were every beaming eye, struck with Miltonian 
blindness; darkest and dreariest would be this 
finite abode, were woman, who is more to man, 
than all the shining lights of space, more than 
millions of Globes, of golden mines; more 
than kingdoms of thrones, or than the thrones 
of kingdoms; nay more than thrones of 
crowns, or than the crowns of thrones. Yet 
among women, as among men, there may be 
seen choice and distinguished spirits; spirits 
that exalt themselves, humanize humani- 
ty, renown the race, and superiorize their sex. 
A noble woman, mirrors every virtue in the 
vault of her maker; builds the ladder, that 
leads worlds to bliss; invests ordinary duties, 
with an extraordinary clear and delightful in- 
dividuality; strews life's Royal Lane, with the 
beautiful boquets of sanctity; wrestles with 
God, until he governs her ways; and baptizes 
her works in the Jordan-like waters of benevo- 
lence. t 

As the mansion's blind, its window shields from gales, 

So woman's love, protects her chosen male, 

Her ardent care to supply his every need 

Like earth to the world, that power is all she heeds, 

Her soul once singly, now is doubly strong, 

She fears no foe, except the foe of wrong. 

Her Husband's Queen, she feels her kingdom great, 

Thus seated true, her faith defies dark fate . 

Her little subjects, e'en fill full her eyes, 

Their angel names, she wafts high in the skies. 

Their sweet kin natures, give her nature bloom, 

Her soul surrounds them, till they grace the tomb. 

Her friends she loves forever — forever deems 

Her work undone, till finished well it seems, 

The work of love, — of love that truth unfurls, 

And waving gently, wins unto it worlds. 



Such a woman was Mrs. Washington. Mrs. 
Washington lived an advanced and abstemious 
life ; and she lived thus long too, mainly be- 
cause she lived upon the bounties of tempe- 
rance. Temperance, sews up the torn apparel 
of sickness and pain ; is the life of every easy 
liver ; earth's lawful extasy ; worthy economist, 
to supply life's everincreasing wants ; secret of 
beauty, and beauty's queenly seat; archive of 
greatness, and greatest aid to goodness; the 
spirit's canary, of sweetest caroling; pink, of 
Marinian purity, violet of Theclinian virtue, lily 
of Washingtonian liberty; and rose of Baconian 
reason. Temperance is the soverign sanctum 
of woman; and is man's richest mint. 

Mrs. Washington's vanity, even when sur- 
rounded by swarm upon swarm of flatterers, 
wasscruplously subjected, to the rule of quali- 
ties more valuable ; and vain glorious thoughts, 
were the fewest and fartherest of all thoughts 
which absorbed her soul ; proveing that 
when our virtuous thoughts are numerous, 
vainglorious ones are expelled, like vagrants 
from our presence. Vanity poisons the mind's 
blood, until the tumors of malactions, bestud 
God's gracious Prototype; transforms the man 
to an ape, and from that to a self tyrant; turns 
Divines to duelists, and duelists to demons; 
digs its own whirlpool, of self-destruction; 
changes the philosopher to a human-peacock, 
and the latter to a pevish peasant; envices the 
judgment, as in Baal's jaws; breaks open the 
fire-king, containing mind's kingly fortune, 
and steals away its contents ; vanity, like fire, de- 
stroys itself, in the act of destroying the object 
which invites it. Mrs. Washington aspired to 
the wealth of goodness, rather than of gold; 
and to the fame of great sense, rather than 
2 



10 

great station; she attained both, retained both, 
and enjoyed both until death. A spiritual 
wealth, fills up the Christian cotters, of Heaven's 
savings bank; both sexes, all ages, sects, races, 
and kindreds of people, may transact the busi- 
ness of eternal importance thereat, by comply- 
ing with its rigid and righteous rules, of go- 
vernment; all days, all hours of all days, and 
all moments of all hours, are its times of dis- 
count; every man may make his deposit there- 
in, whose funds are secured, by fair and sub- 
stantial acts; its capital stock, like its influence, 
surpasses mortal computation; its notes of is- 
sue, outnumber, even the countless souls who 
cling to it for protection, from irretrievable 
bankruptcy; its felicitous dividends, are given 
daily and forever; its redeeming powers like its 
basis, ace reliable ; its stockholders, are heaven- 
ly seraphs; its careful directors, are enrapted 
cherubs; its just cashier, is a confidable Jesus; 
its teller, is a vigilant St. Peter; its bookkeeper, 
is a diligent St. Paul; its notary-public, is a 
frank Revelator John; its chief clerk, is an 
amiable John the Evangelist; its numerous sub- 
clerks, are angels and saints of solid grace ; 
eternity's centre, is the cite of this comely edi- 
fice; Jehovah, is its presiding officer, and per- 
petual judge. Mrs. Washington drew forth the 
love of friends, as easily as the lamp's blaze 
draws forth the substance it consumes; and 
her company, was as widely sought for, as 
her character was widely imitated ; her 
individual attractiveness in society, like that 
of an amiable princess among her people, 
was immense; personally, she was unlike 
what most women are ; yet just what all 
women should have been, and may yet be; she 
enjoyed more then most ladies, because she 



II 

was a lady in all her enjoyments; and in all 
things the lines of prudence, were to her pre- 
cious as life ; her life should he read to be fol- 
lowed, and followed because it leads aright; 
and the enjoyment conferred by its repeated 
perusal, is repeatedly greater than that pro- 
cured by perusing a war-fort full of nauseously 
fictitious works. Enjoying the antidote aspect, 
of an Eden, blooming with ripe beauties; and 
filled with palatable and proper fruits, is 
heavenly ; enjoying the scenes of a hill's sum- 
mit, at evening, bathing the brow, in its balmy 
breezes; while the wakeful night world, sends 
upward its prayerful songs, choicer and holier 
than human chorus ; while the brilliant stars 
break through the blue azure, like glittering 
glowflies from an alpine grove, is likewise hea- 
venly; but enjoying a true heroine's counsels, to 
conduct us to honor, as the compass conducts 
its confider to the pole ; her example of expe- 
rience, to exalt our existence, as the fair gover- 
ness promotes those, enlisted in her favor; and 
her long schedule of means to successfully 
manage our stately ship of life, is most heaven- 
ly. Mrs. Washington's character, was pure as 
the play-thoughts of a child; and her com- 
panions, were controlled by her valientry, as is 
health by a Virginian clime. There is in 
woman's nature,, an insatiable yearning for 
peerless purity of life; and when unwarped, 
she warps worthlessness, as does steady heat, 
green substances; woman's angelized purpose 
and work, is to man, as was the loving glance of 
Juno, to the God-great-Jove. 

Woman's purity, turns from the savage shark 
of selfishness,and he closes his life consuming 
jaws; spurns upon the coiled serpent of un- 
kindness, and his strychninian fangs, fall from 



12 

their dark sockets ; bids absence, to the deceiv- 
ing Satan of her confidence, and he sinks abash- 
ed, amazed at her presumptive purity; Sam- 
sonionly levels the inquisitive temple, of the 
enslaving Philistines, harmlessly to herself, 
while she Christianly conquers her foe ; ap- 
proaches king alcohol's throne, and the mis- 
chievous, guilty monarch, springs headlong from 
his seat of hellish sovreignty. Woman was no 
more the first cause, of humanity's fall of falls; 
than she will be the last, to cause its rise of ris- 
ings; and if man has lessened her worth b 
inappreciativeness, God will ultimately malce 
it up to her, by promoting her above her de- 
tractor. 

Yet woman has faults; but they are like a 
hero's scars, which, though ghastly to behold, 
have still behind and beneath them, buried 
sacredness, and a redeeming soul. Mrs. Wash- 
ington, was slow to adopt inadaptive customs, 
she preferred taste to style, or rather the style 
of true taste ; comfortable dress, though fash- 
ion denounced her choice ; convenience in art, 
to what was artfully common; and the smile 
of smiles, of an educated concience, though 
followed by the contempt of both sexes. — 
Wisdom will not undo a standing custom, be- 
cause it is customary to innovate ; but its inno- 
vations will be prompted by experience, and it 
will adopt them to render its experience more 
pleasant. 

Reform plants the olive twig, of theolian peace into the soul, 

And sprinkles o'er it waters, fresh from seraphian pools ; 

Attends its eternal growth, adding buds and blossoming hues, 

Till heaven on heaven bloom forth, as its issues, 

Unfurl the canopian flag of just reform, 

Upturn the spirits eye, its potent thoughts adorn, 

Scorn the past, if present progress it retards. 

Discard the present, wherein it thwarts duties discharge, 



13 

Commune with future times, glean from them what's t abe, 

Spiritualize reflection, and reveal eternity. 

Wrapt in the asbestos robe of truth, and spiritual strife, 

Flames from a thousand stakes, burn not our guarded life, 

But falsehood, disrobes the spirit, drags it to the stake, 

And fires the knotty pile, with darkest death the fate. 

When true reform is come, then comes great joy, 

When joy is great; then truth the world employs. 

Reform for the valient vessel, a world for the warless crew; 

Eternity the ocean broad, God's throne the port in view, 

A vessel strong as virtue, a crew of standard worth, 

An ocean waving in amiableness, our port the port of truth. 

Mrs Washington's pleasant ways, were the 
way to peace, her smile of love, was the light 
of her soul; and her treatment of every society, 
was altogether tender and sympathetic. Amiable 
manners, are the manners of angels ; and con- 
soling thoughts uttered in smiling tenderness, 
are moonlight dews, falling to refresh drooping 
flowers. Tender smiles are Dolphins, playing in 
the lake of life's delight ; golden-crested-King- 
lets, singing in the heart's grove; daylight im- 
parting hues to the globe of countenance; vio- 
lets, set in the vase of a terrestial front; flashes 
from the meridian blaze of Jehovah's face. 

Mrs. Washington's simplicity of life, like its 
lasting solidity, was attained by simple observa- 
tion, and solid reflection; a sound thought 
simply uttered, edified her more, than a golden 
urn, imbeded with pearls, presented to her with 
a gorgeous display. What she thought was 
thought with sincerity, and her every thought 
was truth; what she said, was said with sensi- 
bleness, and her every saying was sacred ; what 
she done was done in simplicity, and her every 
deed was a duty. Simplicity, charters of nature 
the right to follow her, while she leads to per- 
fection's palace ; secures the copy-right, of the 
usefulest volume, because it is most virtually 
understood; armour for honor's cadet, shielding 



14 

him, from affectation's dishonorable sabres; 
grey-locks, to an author's works, working for 
them a place, siding sagely peers; alphabet of 
the world, early wining it to an alliance with a 
natural nobility. Man shall be woman's pupil, 
in most things, until he reaches more nearly the 
summit of summits, where a wise simplicity 
reigns. 

Mrs "Washington's home— happiness, was 
her earthly heaven; she there superintended 
a family, which has since become more fa- 
mous than faulty sovreigns; she there likewise 
gave birth to a child, which has given birth 
to a republic ; the star of Fredericksburg, like 
the star of ancient Bethlehem, was born in 
lowliness, and in times of danger to its life, and 
distress to many living; yet in times, which 
most needed its life and dutiful labors; by her 
hearth side she nursed an infant, which has 
nursed an infantile nation; rocked to repose a 
child, upon which a country has reposed in the 
cradle of renown; clothed the growing son, 
whose orb of orbs of greatness, has robed Ame- 
rica with the most comely apparel, of advanced 
Christendom; taught the youthful loyal thinker, 
who has taught Americans the loyalty of de- 
fending their liberties ; moulded and developed 
a man, who has moulded a world of worthy 
men, and immensely developed their inherent 
dignity. Home — happiness is a mother's dower 
of matronship, and an inheritence too, as ex- 
haustless as the light of Eternity. Mrs Wash- 
ington's connubial, like her maternal love, was 
constant and sublime; nay, it was the sublimity 
of constancy; she was doubtless careful in be- 
stowing her affections, yet when bestowed, her 
bliss was to cultivate the soil, in which she had 
planted the purest seed of her soul. Her con- 



15 

nubial love, was not rashly bold, and romantic 
as a rainbow; but was true to her feminine- 
ship, and was therefore forever true. 

True love is modest, and like the petal 'I the rose, 
Fulsomly exhibits not itself; delighting to worship the one it 

chose ; 
Like wise men God. in eloquent silence ; and forcing love 

to bold display ; 
Displays the forcer's folly ; for who can force the sun to 

brighter day ; 
Or drive another to profounder love ? 

Love blooms in its ruby beauty, and angels 
vie with each other in procuring the picture 
whereby to embellish the book of celestial 
life; winds up the time-piece of man's heart 
and his bosom ticks with higher life, until 
his tongue strikes up notes of eloquence, dis- 
closing his extastic joys; reigns through the 
realms of woman's raptured soul, like a sun 
amid a million stars, while the world re- 
flects her beauteous image, in its wholesome 
works; Love is singly, the agent of man's 
existence; yet it is the combined agent and 
principle of the existence, of woman. 

Mrs. Washington's kindness of spirit towards 
her kindred and race, was less the spirit of 
passion, powerful and sudden, than that of 
supreme sense, which like a philanthrophist's 
epitath is imperial and as impressive as impe- 
rial, and abides as the monument of mouments, 
throughout myriads of ages. Kindness unlocks 
the dungeon doors of the unfortunate, and sup- 
plies them with fresh means of natural support ; 
uplifts the lids of its silvery vault, and sends 
the starving beggar, to the saving-bakery he 
seeks ; prescribes a remedy for the ragged pa- 
tient, and his naked sores of penury, stop their 
painful gnawings ; erects the hospital of a use- 
ful education, and its inmates leave it, a living 



16 

testimony of its practical beneficence. To per- 
form acts of kindness unto all, is woman's 
first nature, her second nature is to repeat them, 
and to increase their number. 

Mrs. Washington possessed that virtue of 
virtues, a practical system, in every thing she 
performed, from the earliest, to the latest years 
of her life ; and the creations of her systems of 
actions, were as systematic, and as closely in imi- 
tation of Deity's, as it was possible for them to 
be, in her then stage of being. Life is the first, 
truth is the second, and order is the third law 
of Heaven ; our lovely heroine was the three- 
thirds, of these three heavenly laws. Natural 
order scans the dissheveled tresses, of private 
affairs, and looking again, it beholds them ad- 
justed with neatness and taste ; touches the un- 
strung Lyre of universal enterprise, and its hal- 
lowed strings are restored to sound action and 
sweetest harmony; smitesthe Palmyrian's ruins 
of public panic and millions of vaults, filled 
with millions of valuable moneys are open to 
all. Let order reign in all things, even though 
the reign of all orders of oligarchies cease, 
thereby. 

Mrs. Washington, remarkable for possessing 
so numerous, and such vitally important cha- 
racteristics, added yet, that of a felicitating cheer- 
fulness; this trait in her character, was like a 
happy anecdote, recorded in a Treatise of pro- 
foundest philosophy, the value of which is 
heightened, by its relationship to things, even 
more valuable. May America's God, help her 
sex, to imitate her example of living a cheerful 
life. Were a daughter of mine, to request my 
most fatherly advice to guide her through life ; 
one rule should say, let cheerfulness ac- 
company your lot, whatsoever it be. Real 
cheerfulness is a sponge, to suck up the tears 



17 

of sorrow; anodynial agent, to arrest the ague 
of distress; pericranium shield, to protect and 
restrain the excited spirit ; eyelids to keep moist 
and in easy motion, mind's ever working eye- 
ball ; a hymn of orebian praise, to pacify the 
Heaven-adorning heart; and step-mother of 
existence, to every soundly educated mind. 
Being cheerful through your whole life, con- 
sumes half of death's life ; but death increases 
its life's-dread, if life decreases in cheerfulness, 
towards its close. Mrs. Washington drew large- 
ly upon the future, for her present happiness, 
despair like deathly distempers, was as far dis- 
tant from her uprising desires, as the poles of 
Eternity are from each other; if she could not 
at first succeed in her designs, she struggled de- 
signly on, until she succeeded at least, in see- 
ing a way worthy her striving. She hoped for 
the best in all things, even though in most 
things, she should enjoy at the best, only her 
hopes. The man who will not build, lest his 
mansion should burn; is himself burnt down 
to the ashes of distress by overblazing caution; 
so he who enjoys little of the luxury which an 
honest hope yields; yields indeed but little of 
that luxurious life, which men and himself 
might enjoy. Let the oppressor despair, if he 
please ; but let it be the pleasure of the oppres- 
sed, to hope for relief and to rejoice in their 
hopes. Rational hope, solders the heart fast to 
Heaven's shore ; sets the automata of general 
enterprise in motion, and accelerates its Gabre- 
lian strides; prophetess of ability's youth, and 
secret of a youthful age; dessert of life's feast 
of feasts, making it a continuous feast of des- 
sert; crystal hope, is the Cleopatrian jewel, of 
Jehovah's crown. Mrs. Washington exhibited 
the possession of the faculty of firmness, to an 
3 



IS 

extent entirely extraordinary for her sex; her 
cast of character teaches us, that when woman 
fixes her will, it is fixed; likewise that what 
she will, she generally should, and what she 
should she always will; fortitude is as natural to 
woman, as love; and both qualities, shine more 
brilliantly in the diadem of her character, than 
in man's. Woman should be firm, because her 
condition and destiny require it. The fickle- 
ness of mothers, will turn mankind to a band of 
miserable traitors, to their choicest interests; 
yet their spiritual firmness, will cement their 
excellent purposes together, as solid as are 
the earth's two hemispheres. As the loftiest 
Egyptian Pyramid, has bayed the whirlwinds 
and hurricanes of the plain; broken, self-un- 
harmed, the electric bolts that have burst 
upon it; defied all elemental destruction; and 
is still standing, deeply based in the earth, 
and breaking the elysian blue ; so a firm and 
noble mind, bays the whirlwinds of wickedness, 
set in motion by wicked brains ; breaks harm- 
lessly to itself, the blood colored bolts of envy, 
wherewith rash and ambitious rivals, would 
gladly strike it to oblivion, and bless the stroke ; 
rules the savage elements, of rashest conspiracy 
against it ; and stands in the end, like God, ere 
he gave Globes light: Eternity's unrivalled 
King. Mrs. Washington was gifted with an 
energy of thought and action, blithsomly befit- 
ing the great American matron; her motives 
were exalted, exalting too the ideas of all with- 
in the happifying halls of her influence ; her 
servants obeyed her biding energetically be- 
cause her energy served to tranfuse through 
them the spirit of their chieftess; she never 
feared the electric storms of natural fatigues 
and death; but she wisely secluded herself 



19 

from the booming blasts of unnatural sorrows, 
and an early death; she prayed for length of 
life not because she feared death ; but the fear 
was, that death would seize her, before she 
had accomplished life's delightful works. An 
enlightened energy scales the towering Alps of 
thought, and the destructive foes of inaction 
and ignorance, are slaughtered upon their own 
war-fields; burns the wild prarie of wicked 
customs, and a world reads, a governmental 
catalogue of rational rules, by the light of its 
bloody blaze ; raises the axe of righteous reason, 
and forests of man's foolish freaks, fall beneath 
its errless stroke; marches against intruding 
monarchists, and anon they surrender in dis- 
honor, to the honored souls they sought to sub- 
due, like yoked stags ; and to enslave like sold 
serfs, when subdued. Arouse the world like a 
Gabriel's shaking blast, heralding judgment's 
day, by your thoughtful actions; lead it higher in 
the Heavens of life, than it was ever led before. 
Our M others, what are they? are they not the 
exact Engravers of men,; the peerless Painters 
of races ; and the sublime Sculptors of worlds. 
The Engraver, carves out his wooden symbols to 
please his patrons, and acquire living fame; 
Mothers, carve forth their spiritual symbols, to 
please Providence and obey their nature. The 
Painter nourishes his imitative pencils, and his 
canvas exhibits a lifeless perishable form ; Mo- 
thers nourish their spirit's original pencil, and 
the living picture of God, appears in soverign 
majesty before us. The Sculptor strikes his steel- 
toothed-chisel, cutting truly with his sharp 
curled-awls, and the rocky features of the ori- 
ginal, strike out before him ; but Mothers, are 
Sculptors of sacred-breathing-statues, which 
set Angelonian art, seemingly upon a par, with 



20 yfy 

the unskilful novice. The glory of matronship, 
which Heaven has bestowed upon woman, is 
only equalled by Heaven's own glory. 

Mrs. Washington's age was passed in recalling 
with unmeasured pleasure, the uncommon events 
of her past eventful existence ; with a goblet, fill- 
ed with the steel-bright and life blessing waters of 
death before her ; and a cluster, of long ripening 
Christian-deeds behind her; she beheld each, 
and Heaven above both, with the blandest ex- 
pression of love ; she partook freely of the lat- 
ter nourishing yet unforbidden fruit ; likewise 
partaking freely of that former, harmless-fluid, 
which quenches all mortal thirst; she looked 
upward, with the spiritual eye of eyes, and be- 
held a better life. A venerable old age, stands 
bravely upon the commanding Himaleah of expe- 
rience, with a meek and admiring world at its 
base ; issues the flying proclamation of its precep- 
tive researches, and meditative millions burn 
with joy at the joyous news ; presses the sounding 
keys, to the instrument of its rapturing designs, 
and the only desire of a raptured race, is to harmo- 
nize with the leader, whose Christian strains 
they reciprocate, with an unrestrained homage. 
Earth has nothing more honorable, than an 
honorable old age ; and he who attains it, shall 
be attended with signal honors. Washington's 
Mother, like the mother of Jesus, was her sex's 
model ; her name, like her sagely simplicity is 
admirable ; her nature, like the nobility of her 
sex, shall henceforth become more reverable ; 
her birth, was like an angel incarnate, inspiring 
woman with her weighty worth; her death, dis- 
embodied our world's immortal benefactress; yet 
this world, like the next, rejoices in her exist- 
ence. 



W 73 








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